New road at Huntsville International Airport will change the Glenn Hearn, James Record intersection

View full sizeThe new industrial access road will split off from Glenn Hearn Boulevard just south of Intersate 565 and circle under Glenn Hearn before heading east. Left turns from Glenn Hearn Boulevard to James Record Road will be eliminated. (Photo courtesy of Huntsville-Madison County Airport Authority)

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - An industrial access road scheduled to open this weekend will help separate vehicles heading to the Jetplex Industrial Park or Redstone Arsenal from those going to Huntsville International Airport.

The Huntsville-Madison County Airport Authority spent $6.2 million to build the road that splits off from Glenn Hearn Boulevard just south of Interstate 565 and circles under Glenn Hearn before heading east. The road was scheduled to open Saturday.

Employees of several Jetplex Industrial Park businesses will be able to use the new road to reach work, said Brooks Kracke, director of the industrial park.

Many of those 1,500 or more employees now take Glenn Hearn Boulevard to James Record Road, where they turn left to head to the industrial park or even further to Redstone Arsenal. The left turn to James Record Road will be eliminated, and all eastbound traffic will have to use the new three-lane industrial access road.

The industrial park and arsenal commuters will no longer mingle with airport bound vehicles for most of the distance between I-565 and James Record Road.

Westbound traffic on James Record Road can turn right at Laracy Drive to take the new industrial access road to Glenn Hearn Boulevard.

"The number of tenants within the Jetplex continues to grow as well as the number of passengers utilizing

the airport," said Rick Tucker, executive director of the airport authority. "Combine that with the increase in vehicles using the airport I-565 interchange

to access Redstone Arsenal, and it is without question that this economic development

project was an absolute necessity."

Work will begin Tuesday to eliminate the crossing of James Record Road at Glenn Hearn Boulevard. The work, expected to take up to 45 days, will eliminate eastbound traffic on James Record Road between Glenn Hearn Boulevard and Laracy Drive.

The city plans to widen Martin Road to five lanes between Laracy Drive and Redstone Arsenal's Gate 7 next year at an estimated $14 million price.

Construction of the new industrial access road was helped by a $4.3 million industrial access road and bridge grant from the Alabama Department of Transportation.

The Madison County Engineering Department used its equipment to move and stockpile about 70,000 cubic yards of dirt and to rough out the road's path.

Governors Drive lane shifts

The westbound lanes of Governors Drive between Franklin and Gallatin streets will be temporarily moved Tuesday for more than a week for the contractor on the Governors Drive project to repave part of the road.

The lanes will be moved at 9 a.m. Tuesday and remain through Sept. 15.

Left turns from Governors Drive to Whitesburg Drive and Madison Street will not be allowed during that time.

Two lanes of traffic in each direction of Governors Drive will be open during the work.

To leave a comment or question about traffic or roads, contact Keith Clines at 256-532-4236, email keith.clines@htimes.com, tweet @KeithClines or fax 256-532-4420. Please include your name, address and a way you can be contacted.